Czechoslovakian Air Force markings, no serial.Stored in the open at Jandakot.Built in 1976, at Vodochody in Czechoslovakia.
Delivered to the Soviet Air Force.
Later sold in USA and registered as N90510 John P. Christensen, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA on 4.8.2000.
The aircraft was thoroughly inspected and assembled by Spider Aviation, Inc. at Savannah , Georgia, USA in 2001 for an additional cost of $75,000. They went through the aircraft from nose to tail, including cockpit refurbishment. The front cockpit has the latest Avionics Package which includes: Garmin GNS 530 GPS/COM/NAV and Moving Map; Garmin GNS 340 Audio Panel; and Garmin GTX 327 Digital Transponder. The Red, White & Blue paint scheme, with Czech Air Force roundel, was painted by Florida Aircraft Painting of Bartow, Florida. Upon completion, the owner had invested over $340,000 in buying and refurbishing the aircraft.
In May 2006, the aircraft was sold to BMG Aviation, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, who reregistered the aircraft as N139LB on 14 May 2007, with the ‘LB’ in the registration denoting that as it was flown by Steve Lynn and Bob Burke.
The aircraft was advertised for sale in 2012 with an asking price of US$179,000, having a Total Time of 2,959 hours. It stayed registered as N139LB until 4 Sep 2012.
On 30 October 2012, the aircraft was registered in Australia as VH-ITN. Registered owner is HF Assets, of Queens Park, Perth, WA, but the aircraft is leased to and operated by Extreme Flying Trust, trading as Westcoast Jet Fighters.

USN markings with incorrect serial based on construction number.
Built as PT-13D with USAAF serial 42-17199, to USN as N2S-5 BuNo 61240. Believed to have then gone to owner in Nicaragua before arriving in Australia.

Airliners.net Photo ID 1612105:

Click photo for large version!

VH-YST

46

Boeing Stearman A75 (N2S-4)

75-5146

Ex 42-16983 PT-13D-BW of USAAF, BuNo 61024 N2S-5 of US Navy, N58983.
Orange with black cowling and rudder, marked as “N2S-4″
Based at York, WA

This aircraft is actually A85-407, painted to represent A85-443. A85-407 was originally delivered to the RAAF in November 1955, serving with 1 FTS as a basic trainer and later saw service as a Forward Air Controller aircraft with 2OCU and 76 Squadron at Williamtown, NSW before being used as an instructional airframe at the RAAF School of Technical Training (RSTT), Wagga, NSW.

It was sold to Winrye Aviation in 1989 and painted to represent the only Winjeel to be painted in orange/white ‘Fanta Can’ livery, A85-443. In 2000, it was sold to Ron Peters and George Baumanis, who both flew in this aircraft when they did their RAAF pilot training in 1969.

Ex RAAF
Orange/white colours
Based at Jandakot.

Airliners.net Photo ID 1612379:

Click photo for large version!

VH-WMN

A85-451

CAC CA-25 Winjeel

CA25-51

Ex RAAF
RAAF markings – silver
Delivered to RAAF in April 1957. With 1 FTS when displayed at RAAF Laverton Airshow on 18 Apr 1971.
Withdrawn from service to RSTT Wagga, NSW.
Was owned by Bob Eastgate, and registered VH-WMN.
Currently Owned by Phil Nolan, and currently under restoration in York WA, at Lyn and Di Forster’s Brooklands Aviation.

Painted in Imperial Japanese Army Air Service markings to represent a Kokusai Ki-86.
The origin of this aircraft is a consignment of CASA 1-131 E components imported to the USA by Marcus Bates in Odessa, Texas, USA from the Spanish Military. All replacement parts were built in accordance with approved drawings by Joe Krybus of Krybus Aviation in Santa Paula, California.

Airliners.net Photo ID 1613840:

Click photo for large version!

VH-AMW

A17-208

De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth

DHA209

Ex RAAF.
Built in Australia by De Havilland Aircraft at Bankstown.
RAAF white with yellow band on rear fuselage.

Airliners.net Photo ID 1570661:

Click photo for large version!

VH-AZT

“A17-130”

De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth

DHA853

Ex RAAF.
Actual RAAF serial was A17-721.
Built in Australia by De Havilland Aircraft at Bankstown.
RAAF trainer yellow colours.
In 1959, the fuselage of VH-BCW (c/n DHA127, ex A17-130 of RAAF which was WFU 10.10.47) was used in major rebuild, prior to sale.
The rebuilt aircraft kept registration VH-AZT & c/n DHA853. 4.5.1970 cancelled from register as withdrawn from use. 17.11.82 restored as VH-AZT, but with c/n “A17-130” Now painted in RAAF markings as A17-130.

25 June 1952: Delivered to Royal Air Force (UK) as WP792.
27 June 1952: 17 RFS, Hornchurch
6 Aug 1953: 22 RFS, Cambridge
8 March 1954: 10 MU, Hullavington
30 August 1955: Non-effective stock
19 July 1956: Sold to WS Shackleton Ltd, dismantled at Hullavington by Helliwells Ltd.
2 November 1956: Registered as VH-RDW to the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia, based at Maylands, WA, and later Perth Airport. Later crashed.
15 February 1962: Struck off register .
14 December 1962: Rebuilt and registered as VH-RWI (the first of three times the Aero Club has used this registration on a Chipmunk).
28 January 1963: Registered to Yarlarweelor Pastoral Co, Yarlarweelor Station, near Meekatharra, WA.
21 June 1963: Reregistered as VH-FLC to Mr F.L. Connell, Bluff Point, WA.
29 January 1964: Registered to Mardathuna Pastoral Co, Mardathuna Station, Carnarvon, WA.
24 July 1967: Registered to Colin Douglas, Pithara, WA.
5 September 1972: Substantially damaged at Three Springs, WA – pilot made precautionary landing on golf course due to weather, but after landing decided to go around and contacted a tree on climb-out.
14 December 1962: Registered to William H Dougall, Kununurra, WA.
27 May 1974: Struck off register as “withdrawn from use”.
16 March 1981: Registered to Ronald J Eastman, trading as Air Phoenix International, Leeming, WA.
12 September 1983: Registered to Norman R McAllister (later McAllister Prospecting Pty Ltd), Bull Creek, WA.
9 July 1992: Registered to Nu-Thom Nominees Pty Ltd.
13 February 2002: Minor damage at Jandakot, WA – tipped onto nose after left wheel became bogged in sand, damaging propeller.

Wears red/white RAF colours and serial WP792.

Airliners.net Photo ID 1775366:

Click photo for large version!

VH-LBW

De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 (converted T.20)

C1/0101

ex 12-122 (Royal Danish Air Force), P-122 (Royal Danish Air Force), OY-ATV, G-ALUL.Built in 1950 as Chipmunk T.20 for the Royal Danish Air Force.22 May 1950: Delivered to Royal Danish Air Force with serial number 12-122, later renumbered as P-122.
8 September 1976: Withdrawn from RDAF service.
21 September 1977: Registered OY-ATV. Converted to civilian Chipmunk Mk.22.
2 December 1982: OY-ATV registration cancelled as transferred to UK.
3 December 1982: Registered G-ALUL to Pace Petroleum, Farnham, Surrey, UK.
2 August 1983: Registered to George Livett, Northampton, UK.
19 July 1985: G-ALUL registration cancelled as transferred to Australia.
11 October 1985: Registered VH-LBW to Rossair General Aviation Pty Ltd, Parafield, South Australia.
2 March 1987: Registered to Mr Lomond A Johnson, Aldgate, SA.
17 October 1996: Registered to Ross L Campbell, Dianella, WA.
16 March 2006: Registered to The Aeroplane Company Pty Ltd, Jandakot, WA.
19 September 2011: Registered to Ross L Campbell, Marmion, WAWears Royal Danish Air Force colours, but does not wear its military serial.

Built in 1951 as Chipmunk T.20 for Royal Thai Air Force.24 Oct 1951: Delivered from Broughton, UK to Hatfield, UK
19 Apr 1952: Accepted by Royal Thai Air Force with serial BF.9-37/95.
9 July 1952: Assigned to Flying Training School, RTAFB Kamphang Saen.
June 1971: Withdrawn from service with Royal Thai Air Force.
1985: Was one of four derelict Chipmunk hulks to be imported into Australia by Col Pay.
Underwent a six-year restoration to return to airworthy condition as a civilian Chipmunk Mk.22A.
23 Oct 1991: Registered as VH-XBS to Bruce D Searle, Amberley, QLD.
28 Sep 1995: Registered to Andrew D Searle, Happy Valley, Hong Kong, later of Como, WA.
30 Apr 2007: Registered to Aeros Casino Pty Ltd, Hovea, WA.Now wears a colour scheme which bears no resemblance to any Royal Thai Air Force scheme, but is loosely based on the final Royal Navy colour scheme.
Tail art “Queen of Hearts”.Based at Jandakot.

Blue/white civilian paintscheme.
Last Grumman Albatross built. Built as a military Grumman UF-2 under the Military Aid Program (MAP), as the last of six ordered for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). For contractual purposes, it was allocated US Navy serial number 148329. It was delivered to the JMSDF on 5 May 1961, and allocated the JMSDF serial number 9056, and wore the US Navy serial 148329 on the rear fuselage. After 1962, it was re-designated as a Grumman HU-16D Albatross. See photo of the aircraft with the JMSDF in 1976: http://www.gonavy.jp/bbs1/img/2770.jpg.
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, Grumman bought 57 ex-military Albatrosses for conversion to civil G-111 Albatross configuration, certified to conduct airline and charter operations. Around 1980, 9056/148329 was sold and registered N88999 – see photo:http://www.gonavy.jp/bbs1/img/2831.jpg
In 1981, it was rebuilt by Grumman as a civilian G-111 Albatross, at a cost of US$1.2 million. Although Grumman thought that there was a market for 200 G-111s, only 13 were converted – 12 for Resorts International and one (this aircraft) for Conoco Oil/ Pelita Air Service. It can seat 23 but is certified to carry up to 28 people.
The aircraft was registered in Indonesia as PK-PAM with Pelita Air Service, flying on behalf of the Conoco oil company. It was based in Singapore, and used in support of offshore drilling in a 28-seat configuration.
On 6 March 1992, the aircraft was registered N26PR to Paragon Ranch, Broomfield, Colorado. By 1996, N26PR was owned by Mirabella Yachts Inc, Palm Beach, Florida. See photo: http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1064553/
On 8 December 1997, Mirabella Yachts reregistered the aircraft as N42MY. It was based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Florida and at Fort Pierce Airport, Florida. Here is a 2003 photo: http://www.airliners.net/photo/Grumman-G-111-Albatross/0457395/L/&sid=aac86aa3f09e8f84dbe6e378e17e8e90
On 21 January 2009, N42MY was registered to Sherman Aircraft Sales and advertised for sale – initially at $995,000, and later at US$795,000, based at West Palm Beach Airport, Florida, with a total of 4,433 flying hours.
In March 2012, N42MY was acquired by Australian businessman Mack McCormack, but registered to the Bank of Utah as trustee. It was flown to Salt Lake City, Utah, for inspections and repainting. It then flew to North County Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida and on 25 March 2012, it flew to the Port of Palm Beach at Lake Worth Inlet to be loaded onto the ship MV Suomigracht for transport to Australia. Photos of N42MY being loaded aboard: http://www.superyacht-australia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Sevenstar.png ). It was shipped to Newcastle, NSW, arriving on 20 April 2012, and was flown to Newcastle Airport. On 23 April 2012, the aircraft flew from Bankstown to Sydney Harbour, where it landed and water-taxied past the Opera House to the former flying boat base at Rose Bay, before taking off again and returning to Bankstown.
On 25-26 April 2012, it flew across to Perth Airport. On 27 April 2012, N42MY took off from Perth Airport, flew along the Swan River, and ten minutes later landed and took off in Matilda Bay. Matilda Bay was once the base for US Navy and RAAF Catalina flying boats during World War Two.
Mr McCormack intends to base the Albatross in Broome and use the aircraft to fly tourist and charter flights in and around the Kimberley region of Western Australia, including the Horizontal Waterfalls, Montgomery Reef, Prince Region and off the coast at Rowley Shoals.Stored at Jandakot.

US Army red/white colours.Built in 1954 for the US Navy, and later transferred to the US Army, but still retaining its Navy serial number 138122.It was allocated to the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida in 1984 and sold in 1985 to Richard C Fernalld, Anchorage, Alaska as N28RF.Later sold to John G. Roberts, Santa Barbara, California in 2004.In 2008, it was sold in Australia to Murray Moule of Cairns, before being registered to Dunkel Aviation in WA, during February 2014.

US Navy orange/white colours.Based at Jandakot.Built in 1955, ex 140016 (US Navy), N46984. Served in the early 1980s with US Navy training squadron VT-27, wearing side number D763 (later changed to G763) and continued with VT-27 until April 1983. VT-27 was the last US Navy training squadron to fly the T-28, later replaced by the Beech T-34C. In April 1984, 140016 was added to US civil aircraft register as N46984, registered to Dennis M Sherman, West Palm Beach, Florida. Registered VH-KAN on 19 February 2014.

Ex Republic of Singapore Air Force
Civil registration not painted on aircraft.
Was stored and for sale by IAP Group at Jandakot – last photographed in June 2013, but no longer visible.(If anyone has updates, please email AviationWA@gmail.com)

Ex 394 (Republic of Singapore Air Force), was based at RAAF Pearce, north of Perth, WA.
Moved by road to Jandakot Airport and stored in the open whilst awaiting sale by IAP Group.
Registered 9.5.11 as VH-DQJ to Royston Ferris, Mona Vale, NSW.Registered 12.12.2013 to MV Air Pty Ltd. Based at Jandakot.Now in blue/white colours, with fictitious number “71” on nose. Airworthy.

VH-NHD

B1727 / 2

Sopwith Pup (replica)

B1727

“Normie”
Whilst almost all parts in VH-NHD are original of that era, only the windshield and the joystick are from the original B1727, and for that reason it is registered as a replica.
Based at Serpentine

Airliners.net Photo ID 1811300:

Click photo for large version!

VH-YOV / N46463

33

Avioane Craiova Yak-3U-R2000

001-3/2005

‘Steadfast’.Soviet Air Force markings.Owned by Eastern Fighters Pty LtdBased at Jandakot Airport – still there on 30 May 2014.

Though based on the World War Two Yakovlev Yak-3U, this example is based on a Yak-11 airframe and was built in Romania in 2005, and powered by a Pratt and Whitney R-2000 radial engine.

It was registered N46463 to William E Whiteside, in California in 2005, and used in the Reno Air Races with the name ‘Steadfast’.

In late 2013, it was shipped to Australia and has been under rebuild in the AeroJacks hangar since November 2013. It was registered in Australia on 24 December 2013 as VH-YOV, but still carries its US registration.

7 comments on “Warbirds based in Western Australia”

What a great list of Warbirds in WA! May I make some corrections/additions to the Chipmunks listed please?

VH-FLC (C1-0684, formerly WP792). Sold from the RAF in 1956, to the Royal Aero Club of WA in 1956 as VH-RDW, became VH-RWI in 1962 (the first of three times the club has used this registration on a Chipmunk), sold by them in 1963.

VH-LBW (C1-0101). P-122 with Royal Danish AF, then G-ALUL and OY-ATV. Arrived in Australia in 1985. For the colour scheme to be entirely accurate it should be marked “P-122″ on the rear fuselage. You show it as a T.20, the export version of the RAF’s T.10, but it became a Mk.22 (and remains as such) when registered in the UK.

VH-RHW (C1-0125). As WB677, sold by the RAF in 1956. To the RAC of WA as VH-RHW in 1957. With great respect to the owner, i would dispute the accuracy of this scheme. By the time the overall Light Aircraft Grey scheme first appeared in 1966, the yellow bands had been gone at least five years earlier!

VH-RIW (C1-0195). AS WB748, sold by the RAF in 1956, registered to the RAC of WA in 1958.

VH-XBS (C1-0413). Served with the RThAF as 37-95 from 1951 to 1971. It was one of four derelict Chipmunk hulks to be imported by Col Pay in 1985, and it took a six year restoration to get it flying again, as VH-XBS in 1991. The colour scheme bears no resemblance to any Thai scheme, but was loosely based on the final RN scheme.

Hi Rod,
Thank you for this additional info and corrections – it motivated me to gather more historical information on all of the Chipmunks in the list, so I have added that in too.
You are also correct about VH-XBS – there are photos on another website of that aircraft when in service with the RTAF and it never wore the colour scheme it now carries, and neither did any other RTAF Chipmunks.
Regards,
David Eyre

Hi Rhett,
Not sure which aircraft you are referring to – could you describe it in more detail, or provide a photo.
I was there on 27 October 2013 and there was a Yak-18T VH-FSU in the SABC hangar- is that what you are referring to?
Regards,
David